Free meals for App State faculty, students and staff in need over extended winter break

View larger image — Jules Bott, executive chef in Appalachian State University’s Campus Dining, preps food for one of the meals offered through App State’s Meals for Mountaineers program. The meals will be available for pickup on weekdays by students, faculty and staff Dec. 11–Jan. 14, 2021. Photo by Rachel Butts

“The long break, the pandemic and the impacts of the crisis on the economy are all testing the members of our community. We have concerns about the possibility for greater food insecurity due to COVID-19. This program is an opportunity for the university and the greater community to come together to support one another.”

John Eckman, App State’s associate vice chancellor for campus services, on App State’s Meals for Mountaineers program

By Elisabeth Wall

Posted Nov. 20, 2020 at 3:10 p.m.

BOONE, N.C. — A longer-than-usual winter break during the pandemic and an outpouring of support from the university and community have spurred Campus Dining at Appalachian State University to offer free, chef-inspired meals to those in need in the Appalachian Community from Dec. 11–Jan. 14, 2021.

“The long break, the pandemic and the impacts of the crisis on the economy are all testing the members of our community. We have concerns about the possibility for greater food insecurity due to COVID-19. This program is an opportunity for the university and the greater community to come together to support one another.”

John Eckman, App State’s associate vice chancellor for campus services, on App State’s Meals for Mountaineers program

Food provided through the Meals for Mountaineers program will be available at no charge to all App State faculty, staff and students in need during the university’s winter break, when Campus Dining is closed. Support from the university and the community has made the program possible.

“The long break, the pandemic and the impacts of the crisis on the economy are all testing the members of our community,” said John Eckman, App State’s associate vice chancellor for campus services. “We have concerns about the possibility for greater food insecurity due to COVID-19. This program is an opportunity for the university and the greater community to come together to support one another.”

In addition to providing needed nutritional resources, the program will:

Allow employees who wish to keep working over winter break to do so.
Eliminate food waste of perishables and food items close to expiring.
Allow community partners, donors and individuals to make year-end charitable and in-kind donations.

On weekdays during the program, faculty, staff and students can pick up a hot lunch along with a prepared dinner and breakfast for the next day. Weekender and Celebration boxes, which include ingredients for three meals per day, are available for weekends and holiday breaks.

Those wishing to participate are asked to complete the intake form located on the Meals for Mountaineers webpage for weekday and weekend requests. Dietary restrictions can be noted on the form and will be accommodated.

Director of Campus Dining Pam Cline said, “This program is a 360-degree effort to support the community — from keeping our employees working, to feeding our colleagues and students who may need extra support during this time.”

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.

Support for Meals for Mountaineers

Individual and corporate donors, along with the following local businesses and Appalachian State University units, have provided resources, food and funding for the Meals for Mountaineers program:

Boone High Country Rentals–Peak of Boone.
Campus Dining.
First Horizon Bank.
Harris Teeter.
Stick Boy Bread Co.
US Foods.
App State Alumni Affairs.
App State’s Division of Student Affairs.
App State’s Division of University Advancement.
App State’s Office of Sustainability.
App State’s Sustainable Development Teaching and Research Farm.

Meals for Mountaineers sample menu

An example of weekday Meals for Mountaineers available to App State faculty, staff and students:

Breakfast: Wild mushroom and spinach crepe.
Lunch: Ancho-braised chicken quesadilla.
Dinner: Eggplant Milanese over gemelli pasta.

Support Meals for Mountaineers

Food provided through the Meals for Mountaineers program will be available at no charge to all App State faculty, staff and students in need during the university’s winter break, when Campus Dining is closed. Support from the university and the community has made the program possible.

Give now

Food trucks, Grubhub and more — App State’s Campus Dining adjusts for COVID-19

Aug. 14, 2020

This fall, as Appalachian manages safety issues around COVID-19, Campus Dining operations will be different.

Read the story

Campus Dining

Campus Dining is committed to serving the Appalachian community using sustainable practices, creative and intentional menu planning, and constantly engaging in the ever-changing dialogue surrounding food.

Learn more

About Campus Dining

Campus Dining is owned and operated by Appalachian State University and offers dining services tailored to the campus community’s specific needs. With three dining facilities and daily catering events, Campus Dining provides opportunities for nourishment and also building and fostering relationships over shared meals and experiences. Campus Dining is committed to serving the Appalachian Community using sustainable practices such as local sourcing and contributing to campus composting and a constantly evolving partnership with the Office of Sustainability. Learn more at https://dining.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.

“The long break, the pandemic and the impacts of the crisis on the economy are all testing the members of our community. We have concerns about the possibility for greater food insecurity due to COVID-19. This program is an opportunity for the university and the greater community to come together to support one another.”

John Eckman, App State’s associate vice chancellor for campus services, on App State’s Meals for Mountaineers program

Support for Meals for Mountaineers

Individual and corporate donors, along with the following local businesses and Appalachian State University units, have provided resources, food and funding for the Meals for Mountaineers program:

Boone High Country Rentals–Peak of Boone.
Campus Dining.
First Horizon Bank.
Harris Teeter.
Stick Boy Bread Co.
US Foods.
App State Alumni Affairs.
App State’s Division of Student Affairs.
App State’s Division of University Advancement.
App State’s Office of Sustainability.
App State’s Sustainable Development Teaching and Research Farm.

Meals for Mountaineers sample menu

An example of weekday Meals for Mountaineers available to App State faculty, staff and students:

Breakfast: Wild mushroom and spinach crepe.
Lunch: Ancho-braised chicken quesadilla.
Dinner: Eggplant Milanese over gemelli pasta.

Support Meals for Mountaineers

Food provided through the Meals for Mountaineers program will be available at no charge to all App State faculty, staff and students in need during the university’s winter break, when Campus Dining is closed. Support from the university and the community has made the program possible.

Give now